British Maternal & Fetal Medicine Society (BMFMS) - Annual Conference

The Brief

The organising committee, composed of busy medical professionals, had limited time and resources to dedicate to planning an event focused on engaging their members. To address this, BMFMS appointed Outsourced Events (OE) for the 2^nd time, to manage the entire event from start to finish. OE's responsibilities included delivering a dynamic and engaging programme, overseeing all logistics, developing attractive sponsorship packages, and securing sponsorship sales.

Objectives/Goals

The primary objectives of the BMFMS Annual Conference 2024 were to facilitate knowledge sharing and provide practical updates to attendees. The event aimed to deliver focused, single-track content that would impart valuable insights to medical professionals. Additionally, the conference sought to increase the BMFMS membership, strengthen partnerships with sponsors, and engage with community organisations to further develop collaborative relationships.

The Event

In April 2024, the BMFMS Annual Conference gathered top professionals in maternal and fetal medicine for a two-day event at The Spine, Liverpool. The conference attracted over 440 participants, with 387 attending in person and 54 joining virtually. The programme featured 63 speakers, 17 sessions, 225 poster presentations, and a lively social event. OE delivered comprehensive professional conference organising (PCO) services, managing everything from initial planning to on-site coordination to ensure the event's success.

Having partnered with BMFMS since 2022, OE had a deeper understanding of the client's needs by 2024. This allowed us to anticipate requirements and take proactive steps to address them, enhancing efficiency and delivering an even smoother experience.

Challenges

A specific challenge for 2024 involved securing sponsorships, particularly with smaller not-for-profit organisations that had limited budgets. Although eager to participate, these partners faced financial constraints, making it difficult to fully leverage their involvement. This highlighted the need for more time and effort in nurturing partnerships and exploring creative ways to engage sponsors effectively for future events, despite this OE was able to outperform the previous year’s event sponsorship targets.

The Highlights

The venue, The Spine, proved to be an excellent choice for the event. As a single-stream conference with no need for breakout sessions, the spacious layout worked seamlessly, and the hands-on demo lab added an interactive element. The venue’s sleek, modern design, outstanding audiovisual (AV) facilities—tailored for live streaming—and ample natural light contributed to an elevated experience.  

The venue also keeps sustainability at the heart of  everything they do, with a commitment to sustainable working and to reducing their impact on the environment. The Spine has optimised energy efficiency and incorporated natural and recycled material in the throughout the building.  The Spine meets or exceeds a number of sustainability measures, earning  a number of awards and accreditations, all of which were important to BMFMS.

The Gala Dinner at the beautiful Palm House in Sefton Park was a standout moment. After a long day of engaging sessions, the BMFMS community had the chance to relax and celebrate. Accompanied by a lively band, attendees enjoyed a round of musical bingo, where for a small donation, they could purchase bingo cards, with all proceeds going to charity. As the band played, participants marked off songs on their cards, raising approximately £700 for a local charity. The winner was awarded a ticket to next year’s conference.

The hands-on demonstration sessions were another key highlight. Though most were booked in advance, additional attendees joined on the day, resulting in a full room and an energised atmosphere. The sessions ran smoothly, providing an engaging learning experience.

The organising committee was delighted with the smooth execution and appreciated the proactive approach of OE, often finding that everything was already taken care of before they even needed to ask.

Services provided by Outsourced Events

1. End-to-end event management and planning:

•  Full event management, including logistical planning, coordination with the BMFMS committee, and timeline management.
• Comprehensive delegate management services, including handling all enquiries, managing visa letters, and sending joining instruction.
• Creation and management of the event budget, ensuring cost efficiency and profitability.

 2. Venue and supplier logistics:

• Conducted a thorough venue search, coordinated site visits, and acted as the single point of contact with The Spine.
• Managed all aspects of venue setup, including delegate flow, catering logistics, signage, branding, and coordination with AV contractors.
• Arranged accommodation by sourcing hotels near the venue and negotiated deals for delegates.

3. Marketing and publicity:

• Developed targeted marketing campaigns to attract key stakeholders and maintain engagement leading up to the event.
• Drafted social media and email campaigns, ensuring continuous communication and promotion.
• Designed and distributed a series of attractive sponsorship and exhibition packages, leading to strong sponsor participation.
• Managed all aspects of venue branding, and event merchandise, sourcing suppliers, coordinating artwork, and handling logistics.

4. Abstract management:

• Provided detailed instructions for abstract preparation and ensured all submissions met the conference’s requirements.
• Managed the review process, communicated with authors, and coordinated the inclusion of abstracts in the programme.
• Organised the poster exhibition, including the preparation of chair notes and management of session schedules.

 5. Sponsorship and exhibitor liaison:

• Engaged sponsors and exhibitors, managing all aspects of their participation from initial contact to onsite support.
• Developed and sold sponsorship packages, ensuring strong commercial participation and financial support for the event.

6. Onsite management and event badging and registration:

• Provided print OnDemand registration services, managed attendee enquiries, and facilitated new registrations on the day of the event.
• Acted as the main point of contact for venue staff, catering teams, sponsors, exhibitors, and other suppliers, ensuring seamless coordination.
• Supervised additional volunteers and briefed auditorium staff to ensure smooth onsite delivery.

 7. Conference dinner management:

• Identified and liaised with The Palm House in Sefton Park, the venue for the conference’s gala dinner.
• Coordinated all aspects of the dinner, including catering, entertainment, and attendee management.
• Coordinated and managed the musical bingo fundraiser at the Gala Dinner, including overseeing the collection of donations for the charity.

8. Event website and app development:

• Created a dedicated landing page for the event website to facilitate easy registration.
• Developed an event app that enabled attendees to engage and network before and during the event, while also supporting virtual event streaming.

Execution

OE’s meticulous planning and proactive management resulted in a highly successful event. The BMFMS Annual Conference 2024 featured:

• High engagement:. The conference boasted a 100% engagement rate with the event app, ensuring that all delegates were well informed and connected throughout the event.
• Smooth abstract management: With 285 abstract submissions, OE efficiently managed the review and presentation process, showcasing 225 posters and organising 32 oral presentations.
• Successful sponsorship and exhibitor participation: Ten sponsors and exhibitors supported the event, contributing to its financial success and enhancing the overall experience for attendees.

Outcome

The BMFMS Annual Conference 2024 was a resounding success, exceeding key performance indicators across several areas:

Attendance: The event drew 441 participants, surpassing expectations and fostering a diverse, highly engaged audience.

Sponsor satisfaction: Sponsors rated the event highly, with an overall satisfaction score of 7/10 and a perfect 10/10 for the venue.

Delegate feedback: Attendees provided positive feedback, praising the quality of the presentations, the professionalism of the Outsourced Events (OE) team, and the overall value delivered.

Sponsorship sales: Sponsorship sales improved compared to the previous year, with BMFMS hitting its financial goals and generating a £10k profit.

App engagement: There was strong adoption of the event app, with all delegates using it to engage and access on-demand content.

The success of the 2024 event has led BMFMS to extend its partnership with OE for future years. 

The BMFMS Annual Conference 2024 demonstrated OE’s ability to deliver complex, large-scale events with precision and professionalism. By providing comprehensive services—from planning and marketing to onsite management—OE ensured a seamless experience for all participants, contributing to the continued growth and success of the BMFMS Annual Conference.

About the Client

BMFMS is a professional organisation for obstetricians and other pregnancy care providers. It offers membership, events, research and education opportunities in the field.

Testimonial

“Our experience at BMFMS is of a team who care about delivering a bespoke, personal service and who from the beginning take the time to get to know their client and their delegate needs. We see Outsourced as an extension of the BMFMS team. No detail or ask is too big or small, they are great problem solvers and pride themselves on delivering innovative, cost-effective solutions. They take great pride in what they do and this shines through during their presence onsite. BMFMS look forward to continuing and building on this great relationship for many conferences to come.”

About Outsourced Events

Founded in 2001, Outsourced Events is an award-winning London-based event management agency and professional conference organiser.  We are a team of event experts, providing a range of bespoke event management services. As an agency we embrace our clients' goals and become a part of their team.

To find out how we can translate your event objectives into experiences and communications that excite and engage your audiences, get in touch today.

Get in Touch

Interested in partnering with us for your next conference? Contact Outsourced Events today at info@outsourcedevents.com or call 0330 460 6007 to learn more about how we can help you deliver a successful event.